Introduction

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 include additional group policy settings that give the administrator more granular management of their user's workstations. To leverage these new configuration items, the schema of a Server 2003 Active Directory forest must be upgraded to a Server 2008 schema. You can upgrade your schema without installing Server 2008. We just need to tell the Server 2003 Schema that it needs to be aware of additional objects that Windows Vista can leverage. All of your Server 2003 DCs must be running at least SP1.

Steps
(3 total)

1

ADPREP

If you have a copy of Server 2008, it includes adprep and will allow you extend the schema right from the Server 2008 media. If you do not have the Server media, you can download the evaluation version of Server 2008 here, it will let you use ADPrep to prepare your Server 2003 Schema to a Server 2008 Schema. The eval version of Server 2008 contains the same ADPrep, so you can use the ADPrep to upgrade your forest even if you do not install Server 2008. Right now, all we need are the schema extensions, not Server 2008 itself.

2

Please remember that with power, comes risk.

You have the power to deploy a group policy that can render your domain useless. Let me say that one more time. If you are not paying attention, and you do not test your changes in a test lab first, you could render your domain useless. A useless domain will require you to rebuild from the ground up. My intent isn't to scare you, but I want to make sure you properly plan and test every single change before you deploy your changes into production.

3

Remote Server Administration Tools

To manage all of the new toys in Windows Vista, you need to install the Remote Server Administration Tools for Vista SP1.

Once you install the update, you have to enable the new features you added. This is similar to the way the R2 functionality in Server 2003 was added. The install just gives you the ability to enable the Admin tools. Go into the Program and Features applet in Control Panel and add the components.

Conclusion

Upgrading your schema can be straight forward BUT always have a good, reliable, handy backup.
Make sure your read the information listed in the References section below and test everything first.

Remember to read the entire blog referenced in Roeman's comments!! For example, when extending the schema to accommodate Windows Vista, don't use the schema extensions provided on the DVD's fro Windows Vista...they're not for windows 2003 server, they're beta versions for 2008.

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